Girl does ‘Kiki Challenge’ on EDSA, now wanted by MMDA

Drake released ‘In My Feelings’ and the world took to it like, well we take to everything viral. Which means that it was 1. An instant hit, because it’s Drake, duh, and 2. Memes galore were born.

The Kiki or In My Feelings challenge saw people the world over hoping outside their moving vehicles to dance along the beat of the hit song. The real life meme was encouraged by the music video of the song, which featured similar kinds of antics. Though it’s all meant as lighthearted fun, there’s more than a handful of critiques of the challenge because of the safety risks involved. Slowing a car down and jumping out to dance in the road is, obviously, not Surgeon General recommended behavior.

Alongside every fun video is a critique of the meme’s hazardous nature and more than a handful of videos where would be challengers see things go very wrong. Though the whole thing is meant to be lighthearted and fun, it’s just not that safe. Videos of failed challenges range from people tripping as they alight their (albeit slowly) moving vehicles or even poor souls getting struck by passing cars (though let’s hope those are hoaxes set up to critique the stupidity of the challenge and not actual tragedies).

The Philippines, with as much as we love dancing and social media, has of course not been immune to the craze. There are quite a few videos of Filipinos dancing along to the song, usually with the backdrop of local villages and subdivisions. However, one girl attempted what no one else (thankfully) dared to: She did the Kiki challenge on EDSA.

Yes, the major highway.

Of course, the video went viral. How could it not? With hundreds of cars behind her, the challenger danced her way across EDSA-Kamuning flyover. She has been identified through the Facebook account used to upload the video on August 28. The account has since been deactivated. The name of this legend? Micha Anne Gabuten.

However, her rise to fame is also a rise of infamy. Gabuten is now being sought after not only on search engines, but by the MMDA. Her participation of the challenge along a busy thoroughfare was a blatant violation of traffic rules, and the MMDA was not entertained. The intercity agency is now wrking with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to track down Gabuten.

The NBI’s Cybercrime Division and its Digital Forensics office have been tasked to find Gabuten.

NBI Spokesperson and Deputy Director lawyer Ferdinand Lavin has said that “We will use the full force of the NBI to establish the identify and locate the girl in the video.”

MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialogo said that the agencies have partnered to find Gabuten’s address and send her a summons. Gabuten will not be asked to explain her side, as the video is proof enough that she broke the law.

“It is no different from no-contact apprehensions,” said Pialogo. However, the spokesperson stressed that an apology from Gabuten would be accepted and welcome.

The driver of the vehicle will also be fined P500 for obstructing traffic and Gabuten will be fined P500 for jaywalking.

“If the driver was the one taking the video, that’s a violation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, but if not, then it is not covered under the ADDA,” Pialogo added. It is not clear from the viral video who was operating the camera.

Further violations may be placed on the driver and Gabuten, as the MMDA is consulting with the Quezon City government to see if any city ordinances were violated by the stunt.

The MMDA stresses that performing the Kiki challenge or other dances is strictly prohibited along major roads such as EDSA, C-5 Road and Commonwealth Avenue, as well as along “mabuhay lanes” or alternate routes. While it may be fun for the challenger, it could put others in danger and disrupt traffic. Meme responsibly.

If you enjoy reading our stories,please help keep Mindanation up and running by donating any amount.Your support will go a long way in keeping us going.

Alexa Rank

About Me

Mindanation.com is also the Official Blogsite of Mindavote, an online community of Duterte supporters, and advocates of a better, stronger, more law-abiding Philippines.

Mindanation.com is your best source for Information about Mindanao, The Philippines, South East Asia, and the world. Our dream is to see a peaceful and progressive Mindanao, fully maximizing its potentials to be a growth engine for the country. [Read To Know More]